All For You
by SereneMelodies
Summary: No matter what it may seem like at times, Haruka treasures his old swim club's friends more than anything else. That's why he's willing to make sacrifices, especially for a certain rival. YAOI. Rating may go up to M. Ending actually not quite decided. Makoto/Haruka vs Rin/Haruka.
1. Prologue

Author's Note: Just couldn't stay away from writing this! I'm going to make this a college!AU fic that sort of follows the concept of the anime, only in terms of the whole swimming and things. Hopefully I won't make the charcters too OOC, but if/when that happens, it's only due to the way I changed the plot.

I only warn you that things might get a little…_physical_ later XD So this is YAOI. If you don't like, stay away!

Have fun reading!

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**Prologue**

* * *

_To be ordinary…_

He supposed it wasn't so bad. With a slight intake of breath, Haruka indulged himself by sinking deeper into the water that he loved so much. He didn't mind that much that it was only his usual bathtub and nothing more.

If he had to make the same choice again, he would have done the exact same thing, regardless of the consequences.

_Haru-chan…_

With eyes well adjusted to water, he stared at the blurry surface of the ceiling, the water rippling across his vision. He ignored the twinges that the lack of oxygen was causing in his lungs, letting himself gather his peace for the morning. It surprised him just how much he _needed_ to be inside water, just like a fish-

_Haru-chan…?_

Speaking of which, he was starting to get hungry.

Just when he couldn't take anymore, Haru snapped himself out of his daze and sat up, shaking his head free of the excess water.

"Haru-chan?"

"Yeah, I heard you," he mumbled, only to find a hand thrust in his face as always.

"Good morning," his brunette friend smiled cheerily, green eyes all but sparkling. But even his happy-go-lucky expression couldn't hide the worry that flashed across his face. Haruka chose to ignore that, as well as the small comment, "In the tub again…"

"Did you eat?" Haruka remarked offhandedly, grabbing a towel and rubbing his hair absentmindedly. He swiped at the water dripping down his neck and looked up at the taller male in question.

"Nope. I like eating with you, though your meals are…" Makoto chuckled. "Well, they're…habitual."

"You could have eaten first," Haruka shrugged. "If it gets so boring to eat the stuff I make, I mean."

"No! I just said-"

Haruka cut off the protest with a small smile. "Yeah, I know."

"Don't do that to me, Haru-chan," Makoto sighed, face pouty. "I can hardly tell when you're upset or not."

"Liar."

Blue eyes flashed in Makoto's direction and the larger male simply grinned. "You going to get out of the tub anytime soon?"

"Shut up," Haruka muttered, noticing with some guilt that Makoto was still offering his help. He reached and grabbed the sturdy hand, trying his best to stand up mostly on his own. It wasn't as though he could depend on the brunette forever. Besides, if he could get _in_ the tub, he should very well know how to get _out. _Still, his pride gave way to the pain.

"Are you-"

"Fine. I'm fine. Just…give them to me."

And he was going to be. It would just take a bit of time. None of it really mattered anyway.

* * *

For clarification: The Prologue took place at the end of junior year, which is basically a year after the anime's setting. Chapter One will start when they are in college.


	2. A Fresh Start

Author's Note: I actually haven't decided how this fic will end yet because I'm rather torn between Makoto/Haru and Rin/Haru. But I'm sure you guys will help me decide as this story continues. I'm glad at the positive feedback I've been getting so far :) thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites!

Warning: It may seem fast-paced at the beginning but my intention was to start their AU story "in the middle", and reveal a little more *cough* drama as I go. And my narration is all jumpy in terms of POV kyaa! But please bear with me ^3^

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**Chapter One: A Fresh Start**

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Two males, one rather taller than the other, sat down together in a small café that they'd discovered as freshman college students, slightly off campus and a little hidden from view. Now, as incoming 2nd years, they made regular appearances there, enjoying drinks as special customers. There wasn't a single item on the menu they hadn't tried, and whenever there was anything new, they were always the first ones to know. And especially because it was summer, they were there on an almost daily basis, much to the happiness of the owner and the employees.

The silence wasn't an uncomfortable one, as the clinks of ice in their glasses chimed merrily. In what he hoped was a casual manner, Makoto Tachibana raised his gaze from his cup to look at the male in front of him. Somehow, he always felt a little guilty, taking peeks the way he did. He told himself it was in a friendly manner, but he couldn't really fool himself much.

Soft, black hair framed a slim face, always glistening a little from what water he managed to dunk himself in. Today was no exception, Makoto noticed, absentmindedly twirling his straw. He exhaled softly, enjoying the lightly air conditioned room…and of course, the privacy.

If he had to be honest, the transition from high school to college had been a little tough, particularly for Haruka, but it hadn't been anything they couldn't manage. Having to leave Nagisa behind was probably one of the worst aspects, but from what they heard recently, he was going to join them at their university. So they would be together again. Yet it wasn't. It was as though history was determined to repeat itself.

Four years later and the same thing was happening. Maybe they were just cursed as a group of friends.

_Not good thoughts to have. Snap out of it._

"Why are you staring at me, Makoto?"

In response to the quietly spoken question, the brunette simply smiled in a friendly manner as usual, green eyes searching Haruka's profile and clashing with deep blue eyes. He wanted to keep his thoughts to himself, considering he tended to brood a little inwardly. Not that he would ever want to show that kind of side to anyone, least of all Haruka. Most of the time, it was easy to stay cheerful, so that's just how he was. But even he had his doubts.

"No reason."

A brow arched easily, inquisitively. "Oh?"

Makoto chuckled. Haruka really was the same as always, seemingly cold and unaffected by everything around him other than water, even though he wasn't actually like that. Makoto knew better than anyone else that underneath that cool, almost frigid exterior, Haruka was a sensitive person with a soft heart, though the swim-crazed male would ever admit that.

"Well, you're still staring. Did you have something to say?" Haruka said, not unkindly.

"Does it bother you?" Makoto grinned, taking a sip of his iced coffee.

"So you were?" Haruka responded easily, the corner of his lips quirking upwards the slightest bit. "What are you looking for?"

"Nothing. I was just...staring off into space. Or maybe just staring at you because I want to," Makoto teased lightly. He wasn't really the type to talk this way but surprisingly, Haruka responded in a somewhat positive manner when he tried it out. At first, Makoto had been very wary of this almost-flirting, but it turned out that Haruka didn't mind. In fact, if anything, Haruka had opened up to him a lot in the past few years. And as he matured, he had talked a little more and more.

"If you weren't my boyfriend, I might have been a little creeped out."

Makoto choked on his coffee, nearly spewing out the liquid. He didn't miss the twinkle in Haruka's eyes, goading him on. "Oi, oi, you can't just say stuff like that out in public-"

"Why not?"

"Because…!" Makoto self-consciously rubbed his cheeks, which were feeling a little hotter by the second. "That's…not fair, Haru. You just…can't say stuff like that."

Haruka shrugged, a rare smile on his face betraying his nonchalance. It was a sight even Makoto in his position – as best friend – couldn't get to see very often. "You still get embarrassed too easily, Makoto. It was just a word."

Yup. It was definitely not fair that Haruka never showed much emotion, because he was expressive in many other ways. While passion definitely showed in his swimming, the way he floated and harmonized with the water, some feelings also showed in the little things.

Like reaching out and holding Makoto's hand under the table.

It had taken the gentle male months before he stopped jumping in his seat in surprise. But it wasn't like they were actually dating, right? They just spent a lot of time together, that was all. And did some couple-y things…It didn't mean it was official, though! Makoto merely thought Haruka liked making fun of him, knowing he'd react.

Another side to him that Makoto had discovered since they'd all split apart again.

"You know, Makoto…"

"What?" Green eyes flickered to look at anyone, anything, other than the blue orbs that kept teasing at him in that cool manner.

"I think we should…"

Silence.

At last, Makoto couldn't stand it and asked in a small voice, "Should what?"

Haruka didn't get the chance, however, to say the rest as a bright voice interrupted their conversation.

"Haru-chan?! Mako-chan! It _is_ you!"

They both stared at each other, hands automatically separating. Makoto wondered what that strangely guilty and disappointing feeling was before turning his head, only to stare directly into a cheerful face. He registered the boisterous curls and violet eyes quickly enough.

"Nagisa, long time no see!" Makoto scooted over to make enough room for the slender male. "How have you been?"

"I can't believe I'm meeting you guys here," the blond said energetically, taking a seat. "I was moving into the dorms and found this little place on my walk. Whew, it's nice and cool here. Do you know how hot it is outside? At least there's a lot of trees around here. Very green. Plus, I finally met up with you guys! I missed you both."

Haruka simply nodded in greeting, arms naturally crossing. "Did you want something?"

"I don't know…Recommend anything?" Nagisa stared at the menu.

"Everything is good here," Haruka remarked vacantly, looking out the window. "Just pick anything."

Nagisa made a face. "Ch~! You haven't changed at all. Mako-chan, what do you think?"

"How about lemonade? There's a lot of different fruits you can have with that," Makoto replied kindly. It was nice to see the clash between personalities again, Haru with his slow pace and Nagisa with his hyper one. "And you know Haru's just acting upset because he missed you, right?"

"Tsundere Haru-chan," Nagisa muttered jokingly. "Anyways, it's really nice to see you guys again. If I hadn't been so busy with exams, I would have come found you guys earlier and talked with you or something."

"Congratulations on getting accepted by the way," Makoto grinned. "I guess no matter what happens, we keep coming back and finding each other."

"Yeah. Speaking of which…" Nagisa nibbled on his lip, looking worried. Makoto immediately tensed, eyes glancing over at Haruka, who hadn't moved in the slightest. "I'm not sure if this is worth saying, but…apparently he was looking for you guys."

Makoto swallowed hard, openly staring at Haruka now to see if there would be any reponse. Nothing.

And that was probably worse.

"…You know, I think I like the strawberry lemonade the most, so I would recommend that. The limeade thing is pretty good too," Makoto continued the earlier conversation as though Nagisa had never addressed the issue. "Or do you just feel like an iced coffee like what I'm having?"

Nagisa nodded vigorously, shamefaced. "I'll…just go order something now!"

With that, the blond raced out of his seat to go to the cash register, despite the fact that customers had waiters come to them here. Makoto sighed, knowing full well that Nagisa was depending on him to smooth things out with Haruka, as always. But even he didn't know what to say, when the subject matter had become more than a little taboo. Each time it became worse, whenever it had to do with their fierce childhood friend.

"Haru-"

"I'm fine."

Just like that, Haruka had retreated fully back into his shell, icy and apathetic. It was that look that made Makoto more worried than anything else. It was that look that made him want to protect his friend forever.

It was that look he had fallen for, a long, long time ago. And yet Makoto hated it.

Back then, it would have been alright to offer any pool as consolation. But now things were different, and even Makoto – who was the closest person to Haruka – didn't really know how to cheer him up. There was only one thing, and maybe that too caused as much pain as pleasure.

"You wanna go to the beach after this, Haru?" Makoto asked softly, not quite looking at the male across from him. He focused on the green leaves blowing in the summer wind, watching heat waves blur the air, outside the window. Being with Haruka since junior year was like being friends with a land mine, which he didn't mind. He just didn't want to be the one to set Haruka off. And below that oh-so-cool and I-don't-care surface, Haruka was probably just feeling…

Lonely.

"…Yeah, I guess."

"If you're sure…"

Haruka's gaze was intense enough to burn holes into the side of his face and Makoto gave in, tearing his gaze away from the picturesque view to look at him directly in the eyes.

"I know what you're trying to say, and that doesn't change my answer. I'm fine," Haruka repeated more gently this time. "The beach sounds good. Stop worrying."

Makoto smiled a little awkwardly, letting the silence fill up the space between them again. Eventually, the movement at the corner of his eye reminded him to beckon Nagisa back over, which he did by signaling him with a hand underneath the table. Nagisa quietly snuck back into his seat, sipping at his drink.

"It's delicious!" he crowed. "Makoto, you have really good taste."

"Ah, thanks but-"

Haruka sat up suddenly, both hands splayed over the table. "I think we should go now."

There was no denying the hurt look on Nagisa's face, as fleeting as the expression had been. Only Makoto was able to read the situation properly, after years and years of practice, especially as of late.

"Nagisa, don't worry about it. I suggested we go to the beach but Haruka's just impatient to go," Makoto translated. "You wanna come with us?"

"Yeah! This college is near the ocean, isn't it?" Nagisa grinned. "I haven't taken a proper dip in so long…"

Makoto didn't miss the slight flinch that shook Haruka's frame, though Nagisa continued to talk brightly. It wasn't the blond's fault and yet…

"Let's go," Haruka insisted, beginning to walk away. He leaned against the doorway expectantly, watching the two slower males with impatience.

"Ne…why does…" Nagisa stared at Haruka, scrutinizing him with a careful once-over. "I'm just seeing things, right, Mako-chan? Because…"

Anxious to change the subject, anxious to keep Haruka's secret, Makoto pushed Nagisa lightly along with a smile. "We should really get going before he tries to take a swim in the sink or something."

"What about my drink?" Nagisa protested but Makoto merely told the worker that they'd bring back the cup. Bewildered, the waitress didn't say anything, merely watched the boys leave the café.

_Haru, you won't be able to keep this a secret forever…_

* * *

Last little note: A short first chapter! I wanted to get something out on a weekly basis and this turned out be…well, not much more revealing than the prologue OTL but I hope you guys still enjoyed and I'll be back with what'll hopefully be a more satisfying chapter next week.


	3. No Secrets Between Friends

Author's Note: EEP! A little late this time on the update T3T Forgive me! Wows~ Thank you all for enjoying the fic so far. I hope this one is a bit more satisfying than the last chapter, because I don't want to keep dragging on the "mystery", you know? :3 It was really hard to write with the right timing *sobs* This chapter is also a tad bit longer :D

Warning: May be exaggerating character traits, so potential (extreme) OOCness. Ending still not quite decided, but you guys will see why soon enough. Not the typical love triangle perhaps. College!AU (and some events in high school are made up)

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**Chapter Two: No Secrets Between Friends**

* * *

It had already been several years, hadn't it? And yet…

Haruka winced as he stepped on a shell, pain shooting up his weaker leg, but he didn't cry out or make any jerky movement. He knew that Makoto worried about him far too much to begin with. Any hint of him being in pain and the hulk would probably insist on carrying him.

He sighed, chuckling wryly to himself. That didn't sound like such a bad idea actually-

What was he thinking?! A man had to have his pride, right?

He sighed again, watching Nagisa strip and jump into the water with his trademark excitement. The lithe, small male moved through the water exuberantly, and Haruka couldn't help but feel a pang of envy, fond as he was of his junior. He missed the feeling of immersing himself in water and becoming one entity with it.

He wanted to pick up the shell but decided not to risk anything and left it there, cursing it for hurting him.

In any case, Haruka had already seen and registered everything – the surprise in Nagisa's face, the panic in Makoto's – after walking and turning around to look at them both back at the café. He had wondered how long he could possibly hide it, but in the presence of Nagisa's sharp gaze, he was bound to be found out sooner or later. Of course, he had tried to keep a steady gait but he still couldn't manage it.

On their way to the beach, he had thought that Nagisa would surely bug him about it and he'd have to tell the truth since they were friends and all. Nothing happened, though. It was just yet another way Makoto was supporting him, looking after him. No matter how outrageous his request had been back then, his tall friend had agreed to it and stuck with him all this time. It was Makoto who had taken care of him, Makoto who stayed with him by his side.

Makoto who kept his secret.

So it made sense, didn't it? Or was it just that he wanted to be in any kind of relationship? That couldn't be, considering he'd never really liked people in the first place. What did it even mean, to be in a relationship? If anything, Haruka knew there was a…physical side to things, but what else was there? They were already spending every second together anyway, weren't they?

If it was Makoto, he really wouldn't mind…

Would Makoto?

"-ru…-ru…Haru…?"

Haruka's questions flew out of his head, unanswered, as he turned to look into a pair of soft green eyes. Damn, he was close. It was only Haruka's usually expressionless self that stopped him from appearing too startled.

"Yeah?" he answered casually.

Makoto stayed silent for a bit, not saying anything, but Haruka could already see the "You okay?" expression clear in the brunet's face. It was just Makoto trying even harder to not annoy Haruka with his worry.

"I'll stop Nagisa," Makoto said at last, a puff of air escaping his lips as he exhaled. "If that's what you want still."

Haruka looked at him, lips quirking a little into a half-smile. "No, it's fine. It's just you and me that know so far. It won't be so bad to have him know. He's…a part of our group or something, right? So it'll be okay."

"Do you want to…? Or should I?"

Haruka simply nodded in response, knowing Makoto would understand him, squatting down slowly and taking a seat next to the waves that were splashing over the sand and receding as quickly as it came. The comfort that the water provided him was almost unmatched by any other.

The one exception probably being Makoto.

It was kind of funny how things worked out. Even though he didn't regret what he did and even though he thought he had lost a large part of himself, somehow he was just…fine. Would he have done anything differently? He liked to think, no.

"You should go have a swim, too," Haruka suggested quietly, unbuttoning his shirt. He ignored Makoto's flustered protesting ("Stop, Haru! You really don't have to strip!") and shielded his head from the sun with the piece of clothing.

Makoto, now calm, sounded a little wistful. "But…"

"Seriously, Makoto. I'm not an invalid," Haruka muttered. "I'm fine with just watching you."

"That sounds creepy," Makoto teased lightly, but he tugged the shirt over his head and shook out his hair, tossing the fabric lightly down on to the sand. Haruka surprised himself by having to fight the selfish feeling of wanting the other male to stay right by him. After years of Makoto's sole company, it was like he had become…

Desperate.

Haruka sighed yet again, reaching up to his temple with two fingers, when Makoto surprised him by sitting down right next to him. A strangely warm feeling spread over his chest.

_That's the sun, you fool,_ Haruka chided himself inwardly.

"I'll go into the water if you do," Makoto said calmly, looking straight ahead.

An eyebrow twitched in irritation. "Don't tempt me. Makoto, you know I can't-"

"That's not true," Makoto murmured. "_You_ know it's not."

"Tch, just go have fun when I say so, will you?" Haruka grumbled, plopping down on to the hot sand and almost regretting as it burned his back. Still, the water lapping at his limbs felt nice enough anyway.

"But…back there, at the café I mean, you were going to tell me something." Makoto prompted, obviously curious. "What were you going to say? It was about something we should do…"

Haruka's blue eyes widened. Embarrassment was not an emotion he was used to feeling. "I'll tell you later. Don't worry about it too much. Besides, Nagisa's going to get curious."

As if on cue, Nagisa shouted, "Aren't you two going to _swim_?"

"I'll be back then." Makoto bit his lips and stared at Haruka, who shooed him away with a light wave of his hand and dove into the water.

_Too close._

He wasn't entirely sure if he should ever get those words out.

_I think we should go out. I think we should try being a couple. I think we should try dating._

Urgh. It all sounded too…gross. Unappealing. Something made him hold back, though Haruka didn't really understand it.

But before he could think much further about the matter, he became distracted by Makoto's smooth, gliding form, quickly reaching Nagisa. Makoto really had a swimmer's body, tall as he was. Lanky arms, broad shoulders, and long legs, combined with toned muscles, he was possibly one of the most good-looking, fit athletes of the university.

But the stupid idiot had thought of giving up swimming for him. It was only because he'd insisted that Makoto continue swimming that the green-eyed male caved in.

Haruka wondered what he'd done in his past life to make a friend as special as Makoto (he would _never_ admit this out loud, though). No matter how cruel he could be sometimes, it was like Makoto ultimately understood him.

Haruka squinted up at the clouds absentmindedly. Makoto was the kindest person he'd ever met – so kind, in fact, that it made him want to be meaner to the poor guy, tease and poke fun at him. Maybe Haruka was actually a sadist at heart.

No, the real sadist in their group was-

Haruka jerked up right instinctively, heart pounding. He didn't like the direction his thoughts were heading but it was too late. What had Nagisa said, again? Something about…

Rin.

He hadn't seen Rin in a long while. But he really didn't want to think about him, not now. Every time Rin became involved, his life became crazy, which wasn't a bad thing but…

His leg throbbed.

They'd fought again after making up in high school, this time because Haruka didn't want to go to a college specializing in swim. Rin had insisted they go together, but Haruka had already declined his place in the class because he hadn't wanted to enroll there. The only reason why he'd even applied was to appease Rin for the time being. They had split on bad terms yet again, probably because both of them were so stubborn in their own ways.

He _really_ didn't want to think about this anymore. If he could, he wanted to lock up his memories for good…

Vaguely, Haruka heard Makoto's protest of "Wait, Nagisa-" but hardly paid enough attention to him, lost in his own mind.

"Haru-chan…? I wanted to ask you something…" Nagisa interrupted his thoughts completely, taking a seat right next to him, dripping wet. He panted for breath and flipped his hair a bit, spraying Haruka in the process.

Haruka sat up, coolly brushing off the droplets, and braced himself for the potential interrogation, only to have the blond ask him, "Are you okay?"

He blinked, seeing Makoto walk awkwardly away while maintaining eye contact. He nodded to the brunet to say that he'd be fine, and Makoto headed for the snack stand reluctantly to give them some privacy.

"It seems like a lot of people are asking me that these days. I'm fine."

"Well, you aren't swimming and it's…weird! In fact, the first year we went to high school together, you wanted to leap into a _fish tank_. That's how badly you wanted to swim and that's how you were all the time. You even caught a cold that time in April, was it? Do you remember? The pool was way too cold and you just dove in."

"I didn't catch a cold," Haruka insisted, remembering the time clearly. Though the water had felt exceptionally chilly, it had been rather refreshing, he thought. "It was just someone talking about me."

Nagisa laughed but his face quickly darkened, smile fading a little.

"Seriously though…I could have sworn…you were limping back there at the café…" Nagisa said quietly, as though he was scared to hear the answer. "I don't mean to pry or anything but that doesn't have anything to do with why you're not just jumping into the water, right?"

"No, you saw right," Haruka murmured, leaning back until he was facing the sun. He closed his eyes, feeling the water brush against his legs, seeing only the orange glow from behind his lids. It was peaceful and felt relieving, somehow, as though he was unburdening himself of something heavy. "I was limping."

"So…are you…feeling well? Do you want to tell me what happened?" Nagisa amended, taking care not to repeat the question. Still, Haruka sighed, slightly exasperated.

"I'm feeling fine, like I said. But…"

"It's just a sprain, right?" Nagisa said, almost desperately, as though he already knew the answer.

Haruka decided to be blunt. "I can't really swim anymore."

Dead silence.

He sat up slowly and opened his eyes to look at the water. Everything was incredibly bright and focused, like a scenic photo. But he knew Nagisa was probably shocked. How would the blond take it? He expected to hear a gasp or a surprised "are you serious?" or something along those lines.

What he didn't expect was what he heard. A sob.

"Hey, hey," Haruka grimaced. Of all things, the events were unfolding like a cheesy story. Wasn't Nagisa being a little too emotional? "Don't tell me-"

"MAKO-CHAN!" Nagisa wailed and the gentle male came running, a plastic bag in one hand, cash and receipt in the other. "What's going on? _Why_?"

"He'll tell you, so calm down," Makoto tried to say, eyes sympathetic, but his words were all but drowned out by Nagisa's crying. The blond was so loud, in fact, that every person there on the beach (and there were quite a few) began staring openly at the three of them.

"Be quiet," Haruka said in a tone so decisive that Nagisa's mouth snapped shut, though tears still filled the violet eyes. His voice softened as he tried to explain.

"I hurt my leg badly in an accident, that's all. It's affected my hip and knees a bit. It took a while to learn how to walk without crutches. Swimming is going to be harder to…readjust to," Haruka admitted a little vaguely. "They don't tell me it's impossible but they think it. Anyway…just…don't talk about this to anyone. When it happened, only Makoto knew about it."

"Haru-chan _hic, _you must have been hurting so badly _hic _and you didn't tell me, you jerk?!" Nagisa hiccupped.

"I'm telling you now, aren't I?" Haruka said uncomfortably. "And I'm not 'hurting' anymore, so you don't have to worry-"

"I…I feel awful now! I just went into the water all excitedly without knowing how you'd feel," Nagisa said quietly all of a sudden, as though he was drained of all his energy. "Haru-chan…"

"Like I said, I'm okay. Things are just the way they are," Haruka shrugged.

"I…I always…wanted to swim with you guys again," Nagisa mumbled, tears dripping onto the sand like the water droplets from his hair. "But at the very least, I'm glad you're okay."

"Well, now you know. Makoto, can I have a popsicle?" Haruka said coolly, trying to change the subject. Nagisa's overwhelming concern was making him feel strangely guilty. Makoto handed it to him wordlessly. "Thanks."

"I think…I'm going to go home now, if that's okay," the blond said softly, scrubbing at his tears and smiling brightly. "Bye, Haru-chan! Bye, Mako-chan!"

It was now Haruka that was worried, but Makoto merely smiled back and waved, covering up the awkwardness of the situation.

[~ * ~]

Nagisa cried.

All the way from the beach to his dorm, he hadn't taken a single bus or cab. He walked, letting the tears just flow. He needed to get it out of his system or he'd cry the next time he saw Haruka. And that would just make Haruka more miserable, even if he didn't show emotions all that well.

Nagisa knew it was wrong for him to feel so sad about his friend, because even Haruka seemed to be dealing with it quite well. If only he'd been able to help in some way…

For Haruka, taking away swimming was like taking away breathing from any other person. He was absolutely perfect and free in the water that he loved so much. It defined his personality and had taken up the largest part of his life. Seafood, swimming, bathing, everything had to do with water.

So, what cruelty was this?

Somehow, Nagisa was just _sad._ It was okay that Haruka didn't want to tell people. It was okay that Makoto had been the only one to know and that Nagisa himself had only found out probably years after it had happened.

What was not okay was the fact that no matter how much Haruka tried to hide it, the expression of longing for the water had been plain in his eyes, in his face.

Nagisa had noticed this as he was in the water. He hadn't known that Makoto was trying to distract him, but that was probably what it was all about. There was something very unnatural about it all, about Haruka staying behind the way he did, and his instincts had been right.

Still…

"Nagisa-kun?"

Horrified, Nagisa rubbed his face harshly with his shirt, only to have the fabric tangle clumsily around his finger. Was that even possible?! He yanked but to no avail; he was so disoriented with such puffy eyes that he couldn't function properly.

"What are you doing?! Put your shirt down right now," the familiar voice demanded, sounding scandalized.

"I wish I could," Nagisa said sheepishly, sounding nasal. "Somehow I managed to do this to myself."

Suddenly, his shirt was being yanked down, caught fingers and all.

"Ow," Nagisa winced, as he stared directly up into the unforgivingly (beautiful – at least, Nagisa thought so) features of Rei Ryugasaki. The light glared off his glasses, giving him a menacing look. "Sorry, sorry."

"I get that it's hot but is it necessary to go around almost shirtless like that?" Rei grumbled.

_Good. He didn't notice yet-_

"Are you…are you crying?"

_Damn!_

"No, not at all!" Nagisa cheered happily. "I'm just swelling up from the heat, that's all-"

"I can easily see through a lie that unnatural. And your eyes are definitely _not_ swelling from the heat," Rei insisted, his tone becoming more gentle. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, by the way," Nagisa blatantly ignored him. "Why are you outside right now?"

"N-no particular reason," Rei mumbled, lifting his glasses in his typical nervous manner.

"Liar," Nagisa teased. "Were you waiting for me?"

"Not at all. It just happened to be a nice day," he replied lamely. It was incredibly _hot_ outside, and it was easy to observe the sweat drops glistening on his forehead.

"Let's go inside then," Nagisa said, taking the taller male by the hand and dragging him to the dorm building. When they got inside, they were hit by waves of cool air and Nagisa shivered, feeling the after-crying chill. He continued to ignore Rei's concerned questions, blocking them out easily enough until they got inside their shared dorm room.

"Nagisa-kun!"

"What-"

He found himself being tugged, a pair of large hands holding him steady. Rei stared at him intently, as though he were studying him.

"Are you seriously alright?"

Nagisa's eyes began to sting and he chomped on his lip. "I'm fine."

"That's not going to convince anyone," Rei said, his concern overpowering his usual stubborn and easily embarrassed self. "You cried."

Rei continued to stare at him.

"…I-It's Haru-chan's fault!" Nagisa blurted out accidentally, too nervous from the steady gaze. Usually it was him that kept poking and prodding Rei but when the taller male was serious, it threw him off balance.

"Haru-chan…? Haru-san made you cry?"

"No!" Nagisa shouted. Why was it such a mess? He'd already pretty much promised not to tell anyone else. "I mean, no, it's not. I'm just sad, that's all. He just made me sad. But it's really not his fault."

"I…I see…" Rei said uncertainly, suddenly drawing back and looking away as though he didn't know what to think, as though Nagisa's tears were an anomaly. "Well…you should stop if you can. But I understand that tears sometimes are necessary-"

"Rei-chan." Nagisa's eyes began to fill with tears.

"W-What?"

Nagisa looked down at the floor, upset. He wasn't usually like this, really, he wasn't. But…

"Erm…_fine_."

Before he could ask why Rei would say such a thing, Nagisa felt Rei approach him and get closer. When he blinked, he saw stiff arms trying to…hug him? Rei's face was the shade of a tomato and Nagisa would have laughed despite his tears if the other male didn't give up and pat him on the head instead.

It was a surprisingly comforting feeling, a calloused, warm hand ruffling his hair.

"Rei-chan…?"

"Don't feel…erm…sad," Rei muttered.

If Rei was going to try his best to cheer him up, Nagisa knew he had to stop crying. If Haruka said he was okay, if Makoto was there for him…

He would just have to be as he always was, too.

"Rei-chan," Nagisa said quietly.

"Yes?"

"I love you," Nagisa smiled, all but launching himself into Rei's arms, burying his face against the sturdily built chest so fast that the other male hardly got the chance to defend himself.

"What are you doing?! It's…it's…it's hot, you know!"

"I know. Maybe we should take a cold shower together."

"Nagisa-kun!"

"Okay, okay, I'll stop teasing you…"

* * *

**Side Note:** Did you guys know that brunet is the male version of a brown-haired person? I took 4 years of French and I didn't really think about using the "female" version T3T but instinctively, I (almost) always use(d) "blond" instead of "blonde" when talking about a dude…I feel like I used "brunette" incorrectly, LOL I don't know what I'm saying.

Also: I couldn't help but include Nagisa & Rei *fangirls* more details about _their _relationship in the next chapter LOL as well as more about Rin

Hope you guys enjoyed the update!


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